Bond law academics doing their part for mental health awareness month

Brisbane academics

The month of October is recognised worldwide as Mental Health Awareness Month. It serves as poignant reminder to all of use to consider the wellbeing of others. It is also a time when law academics can reflect on the wellbeing of our students and our colleagues. The global initiative encourages open conversations about mental health, reducing stigma and fostering a culture of support.

Law academics at Bond University have been doing their small part:

Fostering resilience: By acknowledging the important of mental health, law academics can help students develop resilience, a vital skill for navigating the challenges of the legal profession. Executive Dean of the Bond Law Faculty, Professor Nick James shared a powerful speech on resilience at the Faculty of Law Executive Dean’s awards evening. This speech was published by the CPLE and can be accessed here

Breaking the silence: Some academics have been delving into the complex issue of social anxiety among law students. Melanie Jackson, Bond Law Faculty and CBT therapist Lisa Du Plessis share their insights into social anxiety in legal education and provide useful strategies for educators to provide the best possible support to struggling students. The posts can be assessed here and here.

Raising awareness and reducing stigma Some of our law academics are actively fundraising for mental health charities. Associate Professor, Kay Lauchland and GDLP Program Director, Tanya Atwill are making a difference by fundraising for the Black Dog Institute.

Kay and Tanya will be taking part in One Foot Forward to help reduce the impact of mental illness and suicide by walking 160km! The aim is to raise funds for Black Dog Institute, so that they can put ground-breaking new mental health treatment, education, and digital services into the hands of the people who need them most. If you are interested in sponsoring our law academics you can help me a difference here One Foot Forward – Bond Law

The CPLE would love to hear from other academics about what you are doing to support mental health, both in the classroom and beyond!

Blog listing

CPLE

Pause. Reflect. Connect. A simple teaching move that deepens legal learning.

In fast-paced legal classrooms, students can quickly slip into memorisation over understanding. A simple teaching move, pause, reflect, connect, offers a practical way to reduce overload, deepen learning, and support students to think, not just recall

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CCLG

The Potential of Geographical Indications for Australian Producers

Is the real impact of the EU–Australia deal what’s lost - or what could be built? Beyond naming restrictions lies a bigger shift: a chance for Australian producers to harness geographic identity as a powerful commercial asset.

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CSCDL

Forget Me Nodes instead of Forget-Me-Nots (PART TWO)

Can blockchain be privacy‑friendly by design? From practical fixes to user safeguards, Part 2 explores how to reconcile permanence with GDPR’s “right to be forgotten.”

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law

10 Lessons for New Law Students

From resilience to integrity, Chief Justice Helen Bowskill shares ten powerful lessons - reminding the next generation of lawyers that studying law is not just about a career, but a commitment to justice, character, and purpose.

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CCLG

Globalisation Disrupted: Reflections from the Bond Brisbane Book Launch

“Globalisation Disrupted: Competing Futures in a Multipolar World” launched at Bond Brisbane CBD. This timely book explores how globalisation is being reshaped by geopolitical rivalry, trade, and Australia’s role as a middle power.

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law

Helium, Hormuz, and Hospitals: The Hidden Geopolitics of Medical Gas

The Strait of Hormuz carries more than oil. Critical global helium supplies—essential for MRI machines, advanced technology, and research—also pass through this narrow chokepoint, making any disruption a serious risk to health and innovation.

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law

From the Strait of Hormuz to Australia’s Petrol Pumps: Why Gulf Tensions Matter for the Energy Transition

Tensions in the Persian Gulf can quickly ripple across the world — even lifting petrol prices in Australia. This article explores how disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz expose the vulnerabilities of global energy systems and why it matters.

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law

The Iran Crisis: Can the Right to Protection (R2P) Help?

Lethal repression in Iran has sharpened attention on civilian protection and the limits and responsibilities of the Responsibility to Protect in an escalating atrocity-risk context.

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CSCDL

Forget Me Nodes instead of Forget-Me-Nots (PART ONE)

Can blockchain ever forget? GDPR promises the “right to be forgotten,” but blockchain’s permanence challenges privacy. Explore this clash in Part 1 of our series.

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CCLG

Bringing Beer Law to Life: A Celebration of Craft, Community, and Conversation

Beer Law” (CUP, 2025) launched on 20 November at Madocke Brewing, Ashmore. This first-of-its-kind book explores the legal, cultural, and commercial dimensions of beer - one of humanity’s oldest and most loved beverages.

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CPLE

The POSITIVE Power of MAKING Mistakes: Why Getting It Wrong is Essential for Legal Learning

Law academics Tammy Johnson and Caroline Strevens discuss the benefits of embracing a 'mistakes friendly approach'.

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CSCDL

When Seeing Is No Longer Believing: Five Ways to Tackle Deepfakes

As deepfake technology becomes more difficult to detect, the question shifts from if they will cause damage to when—and to what extent. This Blog post written by students in the Internet Law Research Clinic at Bond University explores this important topi

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